St Arnaud SamplerBeginner
Submitted by Malcolm Law
Front country - easily accessible
Loop
Undulating, small hills only
Native bushRiversideLakeside
Beginner
1:50 (Slow)
1:25 (Moderate)
1:00 (Fast)
-4.9%
+4.9%
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
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Description
From beside the Alpine Lodge follow the signposted trail to Kerr Bay via Black Valley Walk - a lovely warm-up alongside a beautiful stream. Very soon you'll be at Kerr Bay - turn right and head for the water's edge where the bush meets the lakeshore next to a toilet block. From here pick up the Brummer Peninsula Nature Walk.
Follow this beautiful bit of easy single track for 3.7k to West Bay & then turn immediately right on the sealed road. Within a couple of hundred metres and shortly after rounding the first bend you need to turn left on to Moraine Walk - keep a sharp eye out as this is not well marked. This is a lovely section of moderate single track that leads to the river. NOTE: there is one unmarked junction where you need to veer right (if you miss this and end up in the campground then re-trace your steps back to this point)
Once you hit Anglers Walk - the gorgeous bit of trail that follows the Buller River as it empties out of Lake Rotoiti - turn right and follow it all the way to the main road. Turn right on the road, up a short hill on a right-hand bend, then cross the road and look for a gate (may be open, may not.) Go through/over this and head directly away from the road to pick up the Skate Pond Loop MTB Trail. Turn right.
Follow this MTB trail for a little over 1km, then cross to the far side of the car park when you reach it and continue following the Skate Pond Loop Trail until you reach the next junction (only a couple of hundred metres.) Turn right again towards & past the ice skating pond and reach another DoC parking/camping area. Here pick up the Village Link Track and follow all the way back to St Arnaud - NB this is much further than the 1.2km that it says on the signpost! At least 2km I reckon!
The trail spits you out on to a new subdivision - turn left and run on the verge out to the main road. Almost straight ahead of you will be the Alpine Lodge. Well done, it's time for food and a coffee!
Trail Community
Features of interest
Varied trail, beautiful bush, run along the source of the Buller River, MTB trails - a great sampler of what the area has to offer.
Make Up of Run
Moderate Single Track: 30%
Easy Single Track: 69%
Sealed Road: 1%
Route Data
Reviews:
Overlapping Runs
The following trails overlap with this run to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate Strava activity for each

St Arnaud Discovery Loops
Length: 12.30km
Photos:
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Access
St Arnaud Lodge on the main road in town
Plenty of parking on the road, or if you intend to eat/drink at the St Arnaud Lodge after your run (you really should!) they'd be happy for you to use their car park.
0 km
0 minutes
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Staying Safe
Moderate.
Make navigation of this route super-easy by using the Capra app on your phone. View on Capra .
Generally well-marked trail, just follow directions carefully.
Patchy.
Short-sleeved thermal top, Windproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map.
You cold probably access water from the Buller River but better to just take your own as it's not a long run.
Potential for ice & snow in winter. Parts can get pretty muddy after heavy rain.
Watch out for MTB'ers when you hit the MTB trails - they are designated multiple use but there are blind corners to stay aware!
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Post run indulgence
St Arnaud Lodge
St Arnaud
http://www.alpinelodge.co.nz
Great food, beer & coffee and warm hospitality. The open fire is particularly welcoming on cold days.
See other runs nearby:
Rotoiti Loop The Lake
Mt Robert Loop
Angelus Mega Loop
Blue Lake - clearest water on earth
Parachute Rocks and St Arnaud Ridge
St Arnaud Discovery Loops
Speargrass - Robert Ridge
Angelus East Ridge Circuit
Ultra Tour du Nelson Lakes
Robert Ridge to Angelus Hut
Hopeless
No More Beersies
Hello Rotoroa
Wots Up DOC
Whisky Falls